Chapter Ten
July 1869
Ham and Duckie and the other hands had been told that Yolanda would be cooking for the hands for a week. The hands would then decide whether they wanted her to stay. Before the week was over, Ham and Duckie approached Gato.
Ham said, “Yolanda makes the best grub we’ve ever had in a bunkhouse!”
Duckie added, “If she leaves, we be following her to her next job. She’s that good! We also like that boy of hers around the bunkhouse.”
Gato chuckled at their enthusiasm and replied, “Well, we can’t afford to lose you two. We’ll keep her. I will tell her now.”
Gato and Juana strolled over to the bunkhouse and found Yolanda peeling potatoes. Gato said, “Yolanda, the hands think you are a marvelous cook and want you and Tomas to stay permanently. What do you think?”
